Religious Toleration around the Year 313

Attitudes toward another religion than one's own can be seen, in settings both modern and ancient, to indicate how they may be subscribed to with a range of feelings and defenses that justify hostility, in the minds of the actors. Defenses, at least, can be clearly identified in the period surrounding the "Edict" of Milan, using public statements of both Christians and non-Christians. As to feelings, they can only be inferred, using the record of both words and actions. The Great Persecution offers much familiar material from a decade pre-313, especially the many imperial declarations relaxing persecution, while the words and actions of both Constantine and Eusebius throw light on the decade post-313. The particular susceptibility of monotheism to intolerance is brought out by Henry Chadwick.